Archive for December, 2012

We’ll find out sure enough, I’m sure every major company will have something new to advertise but it’s usually the same thing every year, there are winners and there are losers and it usually takes about a year to two years for people to test out a product before it can be declared to be a good thing. I have seen plenty of people rave about a certain firearm when it comes out and 3 months later there is a recall on them. I saw it with Springfield’s XD models and even LWRC had some significant changes to their designs since they relaunched the company. Many new products become the products that are hard to get parts for especially if they don’t catch on and if you own one, 20yrs from now you’ll wish you had something different.

The tactical clothing market is in full force and a bad economy might weed out some of the higher end products this year. I think the best and newest tactical pants we’ve seen lately are the Vertx pants but those are very expensive and may not hold up in a bad economy. Blackhawk and 5.11 tactical and Woolrich Elite have done some significant price increases and from our standpoint, that is going to hurt them if somebody else can put a good product on the market for less money. We’ve seen many Police Departments spend their money on Tru-Spec products because they were better priced than the 5.11 tactical pants.

I will admit that after being in the firearms community for several years i have seen a lot of gear and accessories that were on the higher end and many of them things that i could not afford. One thing that I have noticed is that while AR15 designs have improved over the years, gun oils and synthetic lubricants are dramatically better. Not only do they work, they are green products and not hazardous to use. I think I still have a small bottle of Hoppes gun oil and bore cleaner that I have pretty much abandoned. I guess at some point I might ceremoniously finish it off but I definitely have moved on from using it.

The direct impingement AR15 design absolutely is reliant on the firearm being properly lubricated. I have seen reviews on Slip 2000 gun cleaning lubricants where it was more about lubricating the firearm and not really just about how clean the gun was. A properly lubricated firearm will run if you lube the right areas and it is not necessary to constantly break it down and scrub every piece of carbon out of it. Over cleaned can do more damage to a firearm than letting it run dirty at times. I have replaced some of my Otis gun cleaning lubricants with Slip 2000 and used the rest of the Otis kits for my personal AR15 range cleanings.

There are several products like this on the market from 5.11, Proper and TruSpec. This is a product that can easily cross over from Police supplies to paintball shirts. There are a lot of things that can easily be sold for young adults to use effectively in paintball games which we high recommend. Paintball gives you realistic skills and a reality check about what happens when bullets can let loose. A less trained shooter in a good position can cause damage and unfortunately this is a reality all law enforcement and military may face. The guy you use can give you an edge in hot environments where sweating and dehydration may occur.

The no melt no drip TruSpec combat shirt comes in a few different materials. These truspec combat shirts have a strong reputation of getting the job done for many of the Delaware County Pennsylvania. The Mutlicam combat shirts come in a cotton nylon material which is more money but gives more protection. The side arm sleeves have a place for patches and to date, the only complaint we get about these shirts is they can seem a little long on the underarms for some customers. These are great to wear under body armor.

Hoppes Boresnakes are the fastest cleaning kits in the world. There’s no need to worry about storing cleaning rides and worrying about bending or breaking them. The Bore Snake is also easier to use with some types of semi-autos. You won’t need to use as many gun cleaning patches, or gun cleaning rods and gun brushes The Ruger Mini 14 is a classic example of this. Most firearms can be cleaned from the breach forward, but something like a Mini 14 can not due to the design of the bolt carrier. A bore snake can easily be inserted into the breach of a Mini 14 or Mini 30 and cleaned properly. The bore snake can also easily be stored and does not take up any room.

One pass loosens large particles, scrubs out the remaining residue with a bronze brush, then swabs it all spotless with a cleaning area 160X larger than a standard patch. Add a few drops your favorite gun cleaning supplies or Hoppes Elite and your guns ready for storage. The bore snake is caliber specific so make sure you get the correct one for your pistol, rifle or shotgun. You will also notice your gun cleaning time will be cut in half or more. I’ve cleaned more than 4 firearms in an hour, from AKs, FALs, M1A, Mini 14s and AR15 rifles all will accept the use of the Hoppes boresnake.

I first got a demonstration about the Otis gun cleaning systems from a Rep at the Atlantic City Police and Security Expo several years ago. He went through the rifle cleaning system and showed me all of the tools and the reasons for using the system. In short, I got it, the Otis Gun cleaning system is best for use out in the field more so than just another cleaning kit to have in your home after a day at the range. Nobody wants to have to haul a one piece cleaning rod with them if they have to clean out the barrel of a bolt action while out in the field. There is no practical or safe way to carry something so flimsy and easy to bend, thus the Otis gun cleaning system.

The only issue I have with the gun cleaning system after all of these years is I’m wondering when Otis is going to change their gun cleaning lubrication. It seems that M-Pro 7 and Slip 2000 products have really caught on not just because they work, but because the Otis gun cleaning kits have some toxic materials in their lubrication and the other do not. If constant exposure to lead is an issue for you, what about all of that other stuff, Hoppes gun cleaning is probable the nastiest thing you can use anymore even though it works, it’s basically a Kerosene and stings up your house. I’d recommend people slip some Slip 2000 in your Otis gun cleaning system and you’d really have a cool cleaning kit.

Those arguments about which gun is better and which firearms optic is better is not much of an argument since Aimpoint, Eotech and Trijicon optics have all earned their way into the military durable optics. There have been some minor changes in these optics and we expect that all of the above mentioned companies will product new and better optics at some point in the future. Red dots are getting smaller and more precise and at some point in the near future there will be no battery usage in these optics and everything will be rechargeable or solar powered. Green reticles have outsold red reticles for the Trijicon ACOGS in 2012 and we don’t see that changing anytime soon.

The reality about the ACOG is that it is a fine medium range combat optic but there are always short comings in it’s usage. The TA01NSN is a fine ACOG that has built in iron sights for close range unlike optics like the Trijicon TA11H-G which is a DMR or SAW optics or even better a really good competition shooting optic. The Horse shoe reticle is a preference and for some people it works, others prefer the skinny and precise crosshairs that the TA01 ACOGS have. The TA11 has a much longer range reticle and hold overs with this optic are very accurate at 800-1000yds with correct ammunition.

The Boogie Regulator opens up our eyewear product line to something new and general inexpensive eyewear. Some ballistic eyewear might not work for you due to the design and frame and that’s why it’s always nice to be able to walk into a stocking Smith Optics Elite dealer. The Boogie Regulator is an easy product to wear because there are multiple ways of wear it. Check out the above Youtube video for the Smith Optics Elite boogie regulator goggles accessory.

The boogie regulator comes in 3 different lense designs, there is no frame to have interchangeable lenses so you might need to buy more than one. These ballistic goggles are available in clear, gray and ignitor. These Smith Optics Elite goggles are the most practical thing to wear while riding a motorcycle, taking a Carbine or Defensive firearm course, send them off to your kids in the Military or give it to your Dad for Father’s day.

The Recon sleeping bags are one of the main attractions in our showroom here in Broomall, PA. There are a lot of people that have asked if the could open one up so what we did was open the smallest Recon sleeping bag we have in stock and display it on one of our walls. The Recon 2 sleeping bag is just a little bit bigger than a football and it is probable the best emergency bag to keep in your car if it broke down. The Recon 5 is probable the best one to bring with you winter camping. It is something to be cautious about when using too heavy of a sleeping bag but I have never had problems being too warm in one of these.

Having a product that is designed for military or serious camping means paying for it with your wallet but these recon sleeping bags are something that can stay in your camping supply room for decades. I’ve had the same sleeping bag for close to 2yrs and only recently upgraded to the Recon Sleeping bags for my primary camping bags. We have all of the Recon 2, Recon 3, Recon 4 and Recon 5 sleeping bags on display in our showroom so stop in and hold them in your hands before you buy them. They range in cost from the low $100 range to close to $200.

This has got to be the coolest thing we’ve ever gotten in from Timberline’s Tactical knives or accessories. I’m really not sure which category you’d put the new Gatco Scepter 2.0 in because it’s not just a knife sharpener, it’s also a serrated knife sharpener and a fire starter. Anyone that has done a serious amount of camping knows those stories of heavy rains and what it’s like to actually start a fire to must make a hot cup of coffee and find out there isn’t a single piece of dry wood around anywhere. We know you can start with newspaper or any kind of paper trash, but wet wood is difficult to light or keep lit. The Magnesium is something that will be so hot that it gives you a much better chance of getting the job done.

The Gatco Scepter 2.0 looks like a pen and takes up as much room in your pocket as a pen so stowing this in a backpack is an easy thing to do. There are a lot of Timberline knives to choose from but when you want to have an emergency device this sharpening system and fire starter is something that should be put in a 3 day pack or a bugout bag. I usually keep this with an emergency blanket, freeze dried foot and a small pot that all I need to do is find clean water and I have my firestarter. We have lots of really good deals on the Elite Survival Systems backpacks and bags and they go well with any emergency preparedness minded person.

For those looking to attach gun accessories to the versatile M4 family of rifles, put some thought into the type of accessories you are looking to put on your firearm like, tactical flashlights, lasers, Streamlight flashlights or surefire. Many of these M4 Carbine accessories are very versatile so make sure you know the flashlight tube you are planning on using before you buy. There are many firearm enthusiasts that have piles of holsters in their closets and flashlight mounts or optic mounts that didn’t work for them. It pays to try things on before you buy.

Shotguns are as easily accessorized as the AR15 family of firearms as well as many AK style rifles. Many of our Magpul accessories are very popular with our customers that prefer the Remington 870 as a home defensive weapon. Troy gun sights, front sights and rear sights are our number one gun sights. We sell many type of rail covers for the Midwest forearms. If you are looking for a fun way to move your Mini 14 carbine from a coyote gun to a blasting Carbine, the Butler Creek folding stocks are as cool to own as they are fun to shoot. Not to mention they make storing your guns in your gun safe a lot easier